New studies find Brits are the most anxious when it comes to robots — and they don't want data centers in their back yards either
UK public reveals growing unease despite limited exposure to robots
· TechRadarNews By Efosa Udinmwen published 15 March 2026
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- Over half of UK adults feel uneasy interacting with robots daily
- Limited exposure drives anxiety, with only 30% of Britons ever meeting robots
- Domestic robots spark the strongest reluctance, especially in home environments
More than half of British adults say they feel uneasy around robots, making the UK the most robot-anxious nation globally.
A survey by Hexagon across nine markets, involving 18,000 participants, found 52% of UK respondents were concerned about potential problems when interacting with robots.
This is higher than the global average of 42%, which experts link partly to the limited exposure many Britons have to robots.
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Limited exposure fuels public concern
Low exposure may be driving the anxiety, as only 30% of Britons report ever encountering a robot in daily life, while the figure is 75% in China.
Britons express their strongest reluctance in home environments, with 39% stating they feel uncomfortable about robots in domestic settings.
In industrial applications, such as factories and warehouses, robots are slightly more accepted, but comfort levels remain below the global average.
Security concerns are the main reason for the high anxiety levels, with 53% citing the risk of robots being hacked or misused as their top worry.
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